Wallabies 2019 Thread

[formerflanker]

Foley is going.

Yep. Plays against the minnows and is next best available for selection in the big games if CL is injured.

 

[Derpus]

Then there'd presumably be a bench lock. Who's your pick?

Itll probably still be Simmons? Im not too familiar with the youbg reds locks to be honest, they sound most likely though.

 

[Brumby Runner]

All of Swain (Brumbies), Blyth and Hockings (both Reds) have potential Wallabies written over them. Next year they will be about as old and experienced (Super-wise) as Rodda was when he made his debut in national colours. Personally, I don't see any skill level at all where Rob Simmons would exceed any of those three.

 

[Bobby Sands]

Going a little off topic here, but..


I reckon Aus rugby is only a few years away from the golden years again. Life is all about cycles. IN sport, that translates into success or failure, and each inevitably follows the other. Success leads to stagnation, failure to action.

It's taken a while but the signs are starting to suggest the sunrise is near. RA I think have even sensed the unrest and actually started to make some sensible moves. Too many pissed off fans have gone Broken Arrow on them and taken matters into their own hands and are starting to seize control from the ground up. This started 10 years ago, but is now emerging -

Starting small - Junior and Club rugby.

Living in Sydney I can't really say much for the other states other than ACT, but club rugby in both states is booming. Shute Shield is getting larger crowds than the Tahs are, and Wallabies are playing in the ACT scene. It's not perfect but there is a wave of momentum sweeping through from the club level up.

WE just had our best U20 result since it was actually the U19's, and Lealiifano was our U20 flyhalf, along with Pocock, Search and Destroy, Genia and Turner. Some absolute warriors coming through and a lot of them are already playing Super rugby

There are big changes being made at high levels and if the articles about Rennie are true, it suggests top level might also be slowly getting their shit together. I'd still prefer they went for Jake White and got Rennie as the attack coach, with a potential long term plan for Rennie to take over, but we'll see.


Bigger picture -

Decent coaches are emerging. It's our single biggest weakness and we are paying for our early success in professional rugby. We imported defensive structures straight from league and jumped 10 years ahead of everyone straight away, so no one learned the necessary lessons from failure we've been learning since 2004/2005. Now, with McKeller and Thorn, I think we've got two excellent coaches in a perfect environment to nurture through the golden batch of U20's about to hit the scene.

Thorn has most of the forwards, nursing names like Wright, Wilson, McReight, Rodda, LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto), Hockings, Blythe, Mafi, BPA and Tupou, only one of whom is over 24 I think?

Brad Thorn seems like the right bloke to be teaching that lot how to be really hard fluffybunnys. Plus, he's going to have an O'Connor/Petaia midfield next year, which might look alright with some good front foot ball.

Brumbies have got most of the backs - Lonergan, Arnold, Pasitoa, Kuenzle, Lolesio, Wright, Ikitau, Hansen. You wont get a much easier platform to work off than the Brumbies forward pack, so that lot of young backs who are being actively coached to playing running rugby will have a much easier time learning the ropes.

Gilmore looks like gold - he should be offered a 4 year term as coaching director for junior rugby - all school/club rep teams to be taught the same philosophy/methodology to ensure continuity. Get the conveyor belt rolling, so to speak.

Shame the Tahs couldn't get Cron and Wisemantle to join forces, time will tell there.

Imagine what could happen if over the next 4 years these positions were locked in -

Thorn/McKay his team

McKellar/Gandalf and their team

Gilmore and his proteges setting up a 4 year plan for all juniors, irregardless of a double windsor

Jake White and Rennie, with Gandalf as a ring in, Byrne and Benton in charge of the Wallabies.

Wessels at the Rebels with time to really find his feet.

GRR up and running with the Force figure-heading the growth into SE Asia/Western Sydney until we ditch the Jaapies and go for some kind of TT comp.

Great post.

The bloke we really want to bring back, and I suspect we have already brokered a deal, is Tatsy Taylor. He truly is the prodigal son of this crop of coaches and well ahead of Thorn/McKellar - who I think would really benefit from his teaching from abroad.

I made a similar post at the start of the year about the Reds fortunes. I think QLD rugby specifically (biased) is producing a particularly strong crop of players and in combination with all other states we are about to start bearing fruit. More specifically I think we can have a good showing at this world cup, but I think sustained success will come post-world cup with a new breed.

 

[Brumbieman]

Qld provide the forwards, ACT the backs - works for me, especially with that U20 crop about to hit the scene.

 

[LearningCurve]

Qld provide the forwards, ACT the backs - works for me, especially with that U20 crop about to hit the scene.

Do you mean the Brumbies imports provide the backs or ACT developed players provide the backs? ACT has provided some gems over the years (Gregan, Larkham) but the Brumbies generally are like UQ in Brisbane and SU in Sydney, providing good facilities and a good program for players other clubs have borne the cost and time of developing.

 

[Bobby Sands]

Do you mean the Brumbies imports provide the backs or ACT developed players provide the backs? ACT has provided some gems over the years (Gregan, Larkham) but the Brumbies generally are like UQ in Brisbane and SU in Sydney, providing good facilities and a good program for players other clubs have borne the cost and time of developing.

To answer, of those named Pasitoa, Ikitau and Lolesio are from QLD.

 

[TSR]

So are Petaia, Lucas and McDermott.

 

[Adam84]

And if the Brumbies hadn’t recruited some of those players, they would have undoubtedly gone to other codes

 

[Bobby Sands]

And if the Brumbies hadn’t recruited some of those players, they would have undoubtedly gone to other codes

Thanks Adam, but that was not the nature of the discussion or even necessarily true.

The Brumbies is the most important franchise in Australia in my opinion. As far as where the best talent should go to develop, statistically it is almost always the Brumbies.

Of course I hope the Reds can become the next nucleus of Australian rugby & that
We hold, retain & regain the best of QLD talent, I realise that this is not really possible.

The Brumbies coach is also from Brisbane. Damien Marsh flits between both camps. Great synergies between the two organisations.

 

[Adam84]

Sorry what ‘great synergies’ between the Reds and Brumbies are you referring to?

From what I’ve seen, most of the QLD players in the Brumbies get signed to the Brumbies before they’ve every really touched the Reds systems. QRU has little claim for credit to the production line of players out of the GPS/AIC rugby competitions.

But i think this may be a discussion for another thread

 

[Bobby Sands]

Sorry what ‘great synergies’ between the Reds and Brumbies are you referring to?

From what I’ve seen, most of the QLD players in the Brumbies get signed to the Brumbies before they’ve every really touched the Reds systems. QRU has little claim for credit to the production line of players out of the GPS/AIC rugby competitions.

But i think this may be a discussion for another thread

Yeah, none with me though pls. Thanks mate

 

[Benaud]

Squad is going to be very interesting now. Same team we were raving about last week couldn't be worse this week.

I'm leaning towards:

Sio
Fainga'a
AAA
Rodda
Arnold
Pocock
Hooper
Naisarani
White
Foley
Koroibete
Kerevi
Kuridrani
Petaia
Beale

Latu
Slipper
Tupou
Coleman
Samu
Genia
To'omua
Banks

Kepu
TPN
Simmons
LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto)
Powell
Lilo
O'Connor
Pulu

Mostly self-explanatory - they can't tinker too much this late in the game despite last night's effort. Hodge probably the most controversial omission but I think guys like Petaia and Pulu have more to offer on the wing. I'd be tempted to take an extra back rower too, but risky only taking 2 hookers/halfbacks.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Squad is going to be very interesting now. Same team we were raving about last week couldn't be worse this week.

I'm leaning towards:

Sio
Fainga'a
AAA
Rodda
Arnold
Pocock
Hooper
Naisarani
White
Foley
Koroibete
Kerevi
Kuridrani
Petaia
Beale

Latu
Slipper
Tupou
Coleman
Samu
Genia
To'omua
Banks

Kepu
TPN
Simmons
LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto)
Powell
Lilo
O'Connor
Pulu

Mostly self-explanatory - they can't tinker too much this late in the game despite last night's effort. Hodge probably the most controversial omission but I think guys like Petaia and Pulu have more to offer on the wing. I'd be tempted to take an extra back rower too, but risky only taking 2 hookers/halfbacks.

Hodge certainly has question marks aa his lack of pace exposed last night. We need to look at petiaia on the wing and I agree unfortunate that not had a look at genuine winger with speed like pulu but unlikely now to be in the mix given not selected in any squads.

LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) long had question marks which certainly brought to surface again. Given isi good in the line out maybe we can play pocock at 6.

At this stage 13 starter not still decided.

I thought To'omua couple of games ago was gone but I am first to admit proved me wrong as he has been good of the bench in both games.

Also reminded that we really need Arnold kept injury free as lost a lot not having him last night. Our starting props being owned by the ABs a concern, need to revisit what happened there

 

[spud]

Squad is going to be very interesting now. Same team we were raving about last week couldn't be worse this week.

I'm leaning towards:

Sio
Fainga'a
AAA
Rodda
Arnold
Pocock
Hooper
Naisarani
White
Foley
Koroibete
Kerevi
Kuridrani
Petaia
Beale

Latu
Slipper
Tupou
Coleman
Samu
Genia
To'omua
Banks

Kepu
TPN
Simmons
LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto)
Powell
Lilo
O'Connor
Pulu

Mostly self-explanatory - they can't tinker too much this late in the game despite last night's effort. Hodge probably the most controversial omission but I think guys like Petaia and Pulu have more to offer on the wing. I'd be tempted to take an extra back rower too, but risky only taking 2 hookers/halfbacks.

Forward pack is spot on. However, I would keep Lilo at 10 and JOC (James O'Connor) at 13 but possibly move Beale back to the bench. He was found out last night both under the high ball and in defence. It is games like last night that you wish you had DHP playing. However, I would start with Banks as he is the form fullback and has only been given one opportunity in which we got manhandled. Bench looks good also and certaintly agree that Hodge has been disappointing and do not mind that he is not in the squad. Petaia on a wing could be very exciting and hoping to see him play in the upcoming Samoa Test. Hopefully, they give guys like Pulu, Powell, Petaia and other fringe players a game against Samoa to finalise this squad.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Hopefully, they give guys like Pulu, Powell, Petaia and other fringe players a game against Samoa to finalise this squad.

I think Spud that the squad has to be finalised before the Samoa test. Could be wrong, but that is my understanding.

If so, it highlights the lack of planning and foresight in not giving those players, and others like Valetini, Samu, Philip and Banks some opportunities in earlier matches to show what they have. Maybe too late now to influence the RWC squad, but I still hope to see quite a few of the fringe players in the game against Samoa.

 

[formerflanker]

I think Spud that the squad has to be finalised before the Samoa test. Could be wrong, but that is my understanding.

If so, it highlights the lack of planning and foresight in not giving those players, and others like Valetini, Samu, Philip and Banks some opportunities in earlier matches to show what they have. Maybe too late now to influence the RWC squad, but I still hope to see quite a few of the fringe players in the game against Samoa.

It would be a huge gamble to drop a starting winger from the WC squad altogether without seeing his replacement play in a test this season. The same applies to 6.
Hence the selections for Samoa are vital. Give the fringe players 60 to 80 minutes.

 

[Up the Guts]

Petaia definitely starts against Samoa with a mind for him taking the 14 jersey from Hodge. Tupou showed last night it doesn’t matter how good the opposition are you can’t beat sheer athleticism.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Yeah I think it's time for Petaia and Pocock to have a run to see if they make it to Japan. I'd lay odds that both will be on the plane.

 

[Slim 293]

I think with the benefit of hindsight there's a few backrowers we will regret not giving a look at, having started with the same trio every match and discarding some of the form players of the year.........

We're now in the predicament where we've only got this Samoa test to see how some others perform, and it's a game we're not going to be able to take too much from.*

*Yes, I remember 2011......... that was a vastly better Samoan team.